Well, the first thing you should do is lose the attitude. Telling folks what they DON'T need is no way to get them to buy an old, used, albeit vintage machine. If they are just learning to sew, they are just learning about machines too, and telling them what is GOOD about a vintage machine is a better way to go about it. Think about negative campaign ads and how we all hate them. Then YOU use it. Have it set up not just to demonstrate, although that is good, but so you can use a vintage machine on a regular basis - a project always going. Seeing you make really cool things with a vintage machine is a great way to sell it. Perhaps pick one, and focus on it till it's sold and then go to the next one. And make sure you convey that you LOVE sewing with a vintage machine. If beginning quilters see they can do all they want with a cool, vintage machine, and that there is a reason to have one ( other than " you are just learning and don't deserve all the bells and whistles yet") they will feel more like owning one and less like you are trying to unload an old machine on them.

I never thought of it that way; but then I am a pusher when it comes to the older machines--even though I own two brand new machines. I just prefer the older machines for the straight stitch work that they do without eating half of your strip when you are piecing for a scrappy quilt. The main thing you have to teach a beginner is to always make sure you end your seam with your "needle up" or you are going to have a crow's nest under your seam, and a mess trying to untangle and get the thread out of the bobbin, etc. Ughhhhhhh. Teaching new folks how to sew has shown me that that is the first thing you stress and stress and stress when you are working with them. That and closing your rotary cutter after you finish cutting each strip. And holding your left hand just right on your ruler as you cut. Can you tell I was recently teaching a beginning bunch of quilters......

there are easy answers to all the problems in the prior post. There are things to be learned regardless of machine age. a closed mind, well that can't be helped.

Tell them vintage machines have lasted this long and new machines will last for about 5-10 years and vintage will cost 1/5 of newer ones.

Basically just share what you love about vintage machines. Sincere enthusiasm is contagious. I agree there's no need to slam modern machines but you can stress that they're getting at least the same level of quality as a high end new machine for a small fraction of the cost.
There's other things you can do too like maybe putting a tag on the machine with needle and bobbin info so people will know what they need and that they're easy to get.
Many people are afraid of older machines (not just sewing machines) because there's no guarantee. Those people you probably won't be able to convince no matter what you do but there are plenty out there that do recognize good value.
Rodney

OK, I've been thinking on how to answer the OP. I can't. I've never been a salesman. I just can't sway people. I'm like Joe Friday, "Just the facts". So once I've laid out the facts, it's up to the buyer to use their brains and realize what good machines the vintage ones are. But they don't. Too many years of brain washing television and now the internet.


Besides .... If these folks don't buy the vintage / antique machines ..... there's more for us. :D

Joe

Singerguy, that's the story right there plain and simple.

I'm also at a loss to "sell" people on a vintage machine. I just sold a machine (my first!), but it was easy. The buyer already knew they wanted a vintage machine because they can better handle what she wanted to do that her newer Viking. Easy-peasy!

Today, I have someone else looking for a machine, doesn't have much money to spend and I just don't know that she's interested. She thought she would buy a featherweight from another person until she learned the price! :eek:

Let me clarify. I don't hate new machines for the neato things they do, I do love a good solid "retro" sewing machine and get cranky when folks snub them out of hand. I always offer to let folks test a machine if they even look that direction, lol, but maybe a day of machine testing isn't a bad idea either. I don't have the space to keep them all set up all the time but could rotate them more to get working exposure. I hadn't thought about the gender differences but it does make sense too. Good ideas. I'll be using these in the near future.

Exactly, just the facts. LOL and definitely more for us! :D

Here are a couple of things that come to mind:

1. Have one set up somewhere with the lid just loose, so you can take it off and show people the metal.
2. Definitely show them the machine doing something. A project in progress is a great idea - just don't be too attached to the project because when you sell the machine with the project half done your 1/4" WILL change on the next machine you move the project to. ;)
3. Adjusted for today's dollars, many of the machines that we're talking about would have been valued in the several thousands of dollars. The first Singers in today's money would be worth over $40K new - or roughly a year's wages for a lot of the population. Even the postWW2 machines often cost into what today would be the 5 figure mark for straight stitch only machines. You simply can't compare that quality with a sub$1k machine these days.

That often helps put it in perspective.

That said, some people just won't change their minds and it's really not for you to change it for them if they don't want to. It's easier to "change" the minds of someone who wants your expertise.